Neuroscience Imaging Facility is located in Nelson Biology Laboratories at Busch Campus of Rutgers University. Our facility offers state-of-the-art microscopy systems and a high quality software package for three-dimensional imaging listed below. Training and technical support are available to members of Rutgers University /UMDNJ and to the public at an hourly or annual rate.

  

 

Facilities:

 

1.     LSM510 Meta Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope.

 

2.      Axiovert 200M Fluorescence Live Cell Imaging System with a CO2  incubation chamber.

 

3.     Monster Imaging Workstation  PC Workstation with Bitplane 3-D imaging and Huygens Deconvolution software package.

 

 

 

Zeiss LSM510 Meta Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope

 

 

 

 

The system offers four confocal channels designated for different laser lines from ultraviolet to infrared. Multitrack function has made multi-fluorescence imaging without cross-talk possible. Using adjustable pinholes and a z-focus motor, you can optically slice your specimen as thin as 0.1 mm. These optical sections are free of stray light and can be combined into a 3-D projection image or viewed in an animation mode.

 

  • Fluorescence excitation by 4 lasers

Water cooled Argon laser at 364 nm

Air cooled Argon laser at 458, 488 and 514 nm

Helium/Neon 1 laser at 543 nm

Helium/Neon 2 laser at 633 nm

 

  • Zeiss Axiovert 200M inverted microscope with motorized X, Y and Z control (focus motor with minimum step size 100nm)

 

  • 5X, 10X, 25X, 40X and 63X objectives, the 40X and 63X are especially designed for a confocal microscope (C-Apochromat series) and require No.1 coverglass (0.15 mm thick).

 

  • Differential interference contrast (DIC/Nomarski) imaging for non-fluorescent structures with the 25X and 63X objectives

 

  • Tile scan function (automatic image stitching in X and Y directions)

 

  • Digital image processing and analysis on a PC running Windows 2000 with Zeiss LSM 510 Meta software package

 

Zeiss Axiovert 200M Fluorescence/Live cell Imaging Microscope

 

 

This is the state-of-the-art wide-field microscope equipped with a CO2-incubation system for live cell time-lapse experiments. Zeiss Deconvolution software digitally removes out of focus signals from multi-fluorescence images.

 

  • Zeiss Axiovert 200 M inverted microscope with fluorescence / phase or DIC (Nomarski) imaging.

 

  • Motorized filter wheel with Dapi, FITC, Rhodamine, bright field and an optional filter.

 

  • Focus motor with minimum z-step size of 50 nm.

 

  • 10X, 20X, 40X and 63X, high chromatic correction objectives.

 

  • Zeiss AxioCam, CCD camera.

 

  • CO2-incubation system with multi-well plate heating inserts (Falcon 6, 12, 24 and 96- well plates can be used).

 

  • Mark and find functionality allows multiple time-lapse experiments.
  • Masaix (Tilescan) module-automatic scanning of large specimens.

 

  • Digital deconvolution and image analysis on a PC running Windows 2000 with Zeiss Axiovision software package.

 

     For the service and charge, please contact Facility Manager, Noriko Kane-Goldsmith.

 

Monster Imaging Workstation

 

 

HPxw8000 dual processor workstation with Windows XP and Linux operating systems supporting advanced Bitplane software package listed below. Using this powerful hardware, it is possible to analyze volume images in a few seconds.

 

 

  •  Thresholding, noise reduction, 3-D image rotation, and advanced 3-D image visualization, etc.

 

  • Colocalization: Quantitative intensity measurements of 2-D and 3-D images, statistical analysis in spreadsheet format, visualization of colocalized components, etc.

 

  • FilamentTracer: Quantification program for the analysis of the length and number of branches in the dendritic tree of neurons.

  •  Huygens: Deconvolution program for widefield, confocal and multi-photon 3-D images.

 

For the service and charge, please contact Facility Manager, Noriko Kane-Goldsmith. 

 

Service and Fees

 

Reservations should be made 1 week before planned use by phone or e-mail. You must cancel at least one hour ahead of the scheduled time, or will be charged for the reserved time.

Usage will be limited to 3 hours per day unless special arrangements are made.

 

Charge rates:  

USER TYPE

Rutgers/UMDNJ                                       (Academia)

OUTSIDE (Industrial)

Confocal Usage*

$100/hour

$250/hour

 

Confocal users will also benefit from Monster imaging workstation and Live imaging workstation (Zeiss Axiovert 200M with CO2 incubation system). For more information, please contact Dr. Noriko kane-Goldsmith (noriko@rci.rutgers.edu). Listed below are key features that are available to you to apply to you imaging project.

  • Imaris (Bitplane): a complete package of 3-D image processing program

  • 3-D colocalization quantification (% colocalization)

  • 3-D measurement (length, volume, spot count)

  • 3-D volume rendering (identify objects based on intensity)

  • Advanced movie generator (move objects the way you want)

  • FilamentTracer (automatically traces filamentous structure such as neurons, microtubules)

  • Huygens (SVI): a deconvolution software package

o        Restore images from all current optical microscopes, including wide-field, confocal, multiple-photon microscopes.

  • Live-cell fluorescence imaging workstation:
    • Time-lapse imaging as well as panoramic imaging of large tissue sections (possibly four-color fluorescence images with a far red filter set).

 

Annual fiscal period is July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2012.

 New User Sign up:  Please mail User Qualification Form

Questions: Contact Noriko Kane-Goldsmith (noriko@rci.rutgers.edu)

Equipment Reservation: Please check the Resource Calendar to see if available.

 

*Note: Training will be charged at hourly rate. Unassisted usage requires certification by Confocal administrator. Peak hours are between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Off-peak usage is limited only to certified users. Certified users must be trained (see Guidelines for Certified User).